is nothing but a
series of scenes _in action_ which make up a story. How can you expect
to have action without a sufficient cause for every effect shown and
the scenes arranged in such order as to produce a complete illusion of
a connected, progressive, climax-reaching story? (And it is just this
connected, progressive, climax-reaching arrangement of the events of a
story which we call the "plot.") A novel may be largely a study of
character; a short-story may deal with action which takes place wholly
unseen in the soul of man; a play or a musical comedy may be chiefly a
series of scenic pictures or tuneful caperings; but a true photoplay
must act out a story--a story with a big central point, supported by
contributing points, or situations.

The story, then, comes first--in more than one sense. It is the bait
you hold out to the editor of the photoplay company. If he can be
interested in your _story_, the script is half sold. This being true,
it follows that your synopsis must be clear, interesting, and as brief
as you can possibly make it, while still giving all the important
points of the story. He must grasp your plot, if not in a nutshell, at
least in just as few words as it can be compressed into in order to
make its development perfectly clear. You must therefore outline it,
so that he may be able to see plainly the possibilities of the story
as it would work itself out in picture form.

_1. The Synopsis_

The story must be briefly put, therefore it is necessarily only an
outline, a _synopsis_--and that is the accepted technical
term--forming the first subdivision of your script. Each of these
subdivisions is merely touched upon here, and reserved for separate
chapter-treatment later on.

In the synopsis, of course, your various characters are mentioned by
name, but it is also necessary to add a separate section to your
script, containing

_2. The Cast of Characters_

Almost all motion picture producers are now showing the cast of
characters on their films, and it is only a matter of time when every
manufacturer will follow their lead, for this is a natural step toward
the effect of reality. For this reason, as well as because it has been
accepted as following the proper form of photoplay script preparation,
your cast of characters should immediately follow the synopsis, and be
distinct therefrom.

_3. The Scenario or Continuity of Scenes_

Then comes the scenario--the third and last essential pa